PART 34

The bounty hunter landed hard on the roof, he quickly got up and ran as he heard the blasts firing his way, needing to get off the roof and into his escape pod as quickly as possible.

If he had killed the Senator he was not sure, he knew she was hit, he saw her go down, but he didn't know if the blast had been fatal.

'Time will tell' he thought to himself.

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Everything happened as if in slow motion. Obi-Wan was deflecting the blasts from the bounty hunter, watching as the bounty hunter started retreating to the Palace, he watched as the assassin quickly turned around and launched a rope atop the roof to escape. Then just like that he saw as the bounty hunter flew up in the air take a shot at Padme. He ran as fast as he could but was not fast enough.

He watched in horror as her body hit the ground hard. He screamed to the guards to kill the bounty hunter as he ran towards Padme's body lying on the ground motionless.

He reached down and felt her pulse, she was alive. He picked her up and carried her into the Palace, screaming for help, Bail's assistants came and rushed him to a dark room around the corner.

"We'll get a medical unit" he heard a woman say as they ran out of the room leaving Obi-Wan alone with her.

"Padme? Can you hear me? I'm here."

She fluttered her eyes, slowly opening them, "Obi-Wan?" she said with hesitation.

"Yes my love" he said kissing her hand.

"I'm in so much pain."

"Help is coming, you have to hold on."

"I can't, I feel so weak."

"Padme" he said as his voice started to crack "I can't lose you again, we need you, your children need you, all of them."

"Give me peace" her voice was but a whisper, he could feel her slipping away.

"Padme, think of Sola and Mara, of Luke and Leia" he was pleading with her to hold on.

"I'm sorry" she said as she closed her eyes.

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He heart had stopped beating, but the medical droids were able to get the heart beating again. She lay unconscious on the medical table, numerous tubes going in and out of her body.

Bail had come into the room; pulled from the water safely by his guards.

"Thank you Obi-Wan, you saved my life."

Obi-Wan nodded his head as he laid a gentle hand on the Senator's shoulder. "Is Leia alright?"

"Yes, I've been to see her and my wife, everyone is fine, we are very grateful." He then turned and looked at Padme sadly.

"She'll make it Obi-Wan."

But Obi-Wan wasn't sure, Padme was alive physically, but only because of the machines she was hooked up to, what if she isn't able to get off of life support?

"Why didn't she listen to me, I warned her not to come here Bail."

"She was worried about Leia, and you."

"I failed her Bail, I've failed my children, what will I say to Sola? How could I tell her that her mother is not coming back?"

"Padme made her own choice Obi-Wan, but let's not jump to conclusions, there is still hope."

He walked out of the room letting Obi-Wan be with her, he looked behind him as he closed the door seeing Obi-Wan drop to his knees and cry at Padme's bedside.